Mid-Prairie Community School District
Kalona, Wellman, West Chester
Mid-Prairie Middle School Media Center / Library, Kalona, IA 52247
September 12, 2022 – 6:15 p.m.
President Jeremy Pickard called the meeting to order.
Board members present: Mary Allred, Denise Chittick, Gabrielle Frederick, Jeremy Pickard, Marianne Schlabach, Jed Seward, Jake Snider.
Board members absent: None.
Also Present: Brian Stone, Jeff Swartzentruber, Chuck Banks, Robin Foster, Rob Hruby, Greg Jergens, Rachel Kerns, Amy Shalla, and Frank Slabaugh.
Mary Allred moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Seconded by Denise Chittick. Motion carried 7-0.
Hawk Highlight
Kaitlyn Dodds, District Librarian, shared about her July 2022 trip to the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. and the experiences for the week. A highlight was using the TPS Network for access to pictures and other media. She was one of 30 School Librarians from around the country that were selected to participate.
BUSINESS MEETING
Public Forum– 6:20 p.m.
No one spoke.
Consent Items
Marianne Schlabach moved to approve the following consent items.
Minutes of Previous Meetings
The minutes of August 22, 2022;
Finance Report
The Finance Report for August 2022 and June 2022 Second iteration with Accruals;
Payment of Bills
The bills as listed for September 12, 2022; and Prepaid Bills;
Open Enrollment Requests
Nolan and Kimberly Decker request Nevaeh Chrzan-Decker (Grade 11), attend Mid-Prairie from English Valleys Community School District for the 2022-23 School Year;
Pamela Vercande requests Caleb Vercande (Grade 12), attend Mid-Prairie from English Valleys Community School District for the 2022-23 School Year;
Julie Tweedt requests Maverich Tweedt (Grade 1) attend Mid-Prairie’s Home School Assistance Program from Clear Creek Amana Community School District for the 2022-23 School Year;
Amanda Mize requests Isaiah Mize (Grade 5) attend Mid-Prairie’s Home School Assistance Program from College Community School District for the 2022-23 School Year;
Julie Spears requests Joshua Spears (Grade 2) attend Mid-Prairie’s Home School Assistance Program from Columbus Community School District for the 2022-23 School Year;
Karin Swanson requests Moriah Swanson (Grade 10) attend Mid-Prairie’s Home School Assistance Program from Highland Community School District for the 2022-23 School Year;
Diane Berryman requests Jayce Berryman (Grade 4) attend Mid-Prairie’s Home School Assistance Program from Iowa City Community School District for the 2022-23 School Year;
Travis and Lindsey Meade request Addison Meade (Grade 1), Colton Meade (Grade 3), and Gavin Meade (Kindergarten) attend Mid-Prairie’s Home School Assistance Program from Solon Community School District for the 2022-23 School Year;
Melinda Hammes-Buch requests Gracelyn Hammes (Grade 2) attend Mid-Prairie’s Home School Assistance Program from Washington Community School District for the 2022-23 School Year;
Personnel Items
Contract issued to Kathrine Roth, Middle School Special Education Teacher, $48,624 per annum;
Contract issued to Daniel Hershberger, Middle School Assistant 8th Grade Football Coach, $2,045 per annum;
Contract issued to Derek Kalm, Middle School Assistant Volleyball Coach, $1,984 per season;
Contract issued to Truman Shetler, High School Girls Varsity Soccer Head Coach, $4,339 per season;
Fall Volunteer Coaches
Kevin Cortum, High School Football Coach, Up to $1,800 from Football Resale;
Dolfi Kalm, High School Volleyball Coach, Up to $500 from Volleyball Resale;
Zeb Evans, High School Volleyball Coach, Up to $2,000 from Volleyball Resale;
Dylan Wertz, High School Football Coach, Up to $1,800 from Football Resale;
Derek Yoder, High School Football Coach, Up to $1,800 from Football Resale;
Lynnette Poll, High School Cross Country Coach, Up to $1,800 from Cross Country Resale;
Fundraising Requests
FFA requests approval to raise funds through the sale of fruit/meat/cheese/popcorn from October 10th to November 4th to be used for FFA activities throughout the school year;
FCCLA requests approval to raise funds through the sale of Homecoming T-shirts from September 12th to September 21st to be used for community, student body, and leadership projects throughout the school year;
Boys and Girls Basketball requests approval to raise funds through hosting youth basketball clinics on November 5th, 12th, and 19th funds raised will be used to pay volunteer coaches, purchase team apparel, coach apparel, and purchase basketballs;
Gabrielle Frederick seconded the consent items. Motion carried 7-0.
Student Learning
Second Reading of Employee Owned Therapy Dog Policy Header(s)
President Pickard reviewed the proposed Policy 606.9 Employee-Owned Therapy Dog Policy along with Documents 606.9E1 Professional Dog Handler Ethics, and 606.9E2 Employee-Owned Professional Therapy Dogs Checklist that passed on First Reading at the August 22, 2022 Board Meeting. Stone and President Pickard ask if there were additional questions.
Gabrielle Frederick moved to approve on Second Reading Board Policy 606.9 and exhibits 1 and 2 as presented (as changed). Mary Allred seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
FFA Students attending the FFA National Conference in Indianapolis, IN
Superintendent Stone noted that Elsa Schmidt plans to take seven students to the FFA National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana on October 24th to 29th. As this is an event that is outside the state of Iowa, the Board needs to approve the students and sponsors travel to this annual event.
Gabrielle Frederick moved to approve students and sponsors travel from October 24, 2022 to October 29, 2022, to the FFA National Conference event in Indianapolis, Indiana. Marianne Schlabach seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
FFA Roadside Cleanup on Sunday, September 25th at 2pm
Superintendent Stone announced the intentions of the Mid-Prairie FFA Club to have a Roadside Cleanup Day on Sunday, September 25th at 2 p.m.
Finance
IASB Annual Conference Registration
Superintendent Stone and Business Manager Swartzentruber alerted the Board to the upcoming IASB Convention from November 16 to 18 at the Iowa Events Center. The Board is encouraged to attend. Swartzentruber needs to know who is attending by October 14th so that he can register Board Members and arrange transportation.
Timing of the General Obligation Bonds and Setting Priorities
Superintendent Stone noted the agenda item is at the request of Board Member, Jake Snider. The timing of the next planning process may be upon us. General Obligation Bond borrowing capacity continues to grow as the District continues the pre-levy and early payments on the 2014 General Obligation Bonds. Discussion about forming a Facility Committee that includes public, staff, parents, students is to be considered. The Facility Committee worked in 2019 and into 2020 and then was tabled due to COVID. The Board expressed interest in moving the conversation forward with the formation of a committee and creation of a timeline of action. There was also discussion about seeking feedback from past committee members in different ways.
Bus Bid Results and Recommendations
Business Manager Swartzentruber, along with Transportation Director Teresa Hartley directed the Board’s attention to Bid Results for 2 Diesel Powered buses for the bids opened on September 1st. Hoglund Bus Sales presented the lowest gross of $258,000 and net bid of $251,000 for two buses, each would be half of the total. The other two bidders were $10,000 higher than Hoglund. The recommendation would be to move ahead with ordering the two buses and trading in Buses #5 and #18. Without the trade-ins, the value of the buses would be $129,000 each. After these purchases, the fleet would be pretty well up to date and the District may be able to suspend purchase for a year in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. It has been a long range plan to have our fleet as up to date as possible and would be achieved with the purchase of these two buses. Delivery of these buses would be expected in September/October of 2023. The buses purchased for this year are expected for delivery in late October or early November of this year. The Board asked questions about the current fleet. Mark English, Transportation Maintenance Engineer for the District answered questions related to the technical side. The Board asked if there was a way to check on trade versus sell them outright.
Gabrielle Frederick moved to accept the bid from Hoglund Bus Sales in the amount not to exceed $258,000 for the purchase of two new yellow school with the recognition that the price, net of trade-in value of two buses would be $251,000 if Hoglund would not agree to work with the District on a sell versus trade. Mary Allred seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
Set a Public Hearing for the Softball Field Lights Project
Business Manager Swartzentruber drew the Board’s Attention to the two documents on the Board Document Site. The first is the Advertisement for Bid. The second is the Notice of Public Hearing for October 10, 2022, at 7:15 p.m. Both documents have been in the paper and set to run on the weeks of September 8th and September 15th. Carl A. Nelson has pushed the Advertisement for Bid and specifications of the projects out to the public and specific bidders that would provide the service. A Pre-bid meeting is planned for September 15th and the Bid Opening is scheduled for September 29th at 2pm at Central Office. It is intended that the bids would be reviewed after the Public Hearing on October 10th.
Marianne Schlabach moved to set a Public Hearing for the Specifications for the Softball Field Project for Monday, October 10, 2022 at 7:15 pm. In the Community Room at the Mid-Prairie Central Office. Denise Chittick seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
Second Reading of the Bond Disclosure Policy 704.7 and the Post Issuance Compliance Regulation for Tax-Exempt Obligations 704.2RI
Board President Pickard and Business Manager Swartzentruber noted that the two documents were passed on First Reading at the August 22, 2022, meeting. These were required as part of the issuance of the Revenue Bonds and future bond offerings of the District by the District’s Bond Counsel.
Bond Disclosure Policy 704.7
Again, this policy is to assure that the items in the policy are known and followed. The Policy language is standard and written by Ahlers Cooney, the District’s Bond Legal Counsel. Questions were welcomed from the Board for further clarification and understanding.
Marianne Schlabach moved to approve on Second Reading the Bond Disclosure Policy 704.7 as presented. Jake Snider seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
Post-Issuance Compliance Regulation for Tax-Exempt Obligations 704.2.R1
Again, this regulation is required due to some changes in the original Section 7 on Advance Refunding. Swartzentruber serves as Treasurer of the District and works through Piper-Sandler in its capacity as District Financial and Bond Advisor to assure compliance.
Mary Allred moved to approve the Post-Issuance Compliance Regulation 704.2 RI on Second Reading as presented. Marianne Schlabach seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
Announcements and Suggestions for Next Agenda
Gabrielle Frederick referred to evaluations of Superintendent—more frequently, and of Board and Roles—self evaluations. Superintendent sets goals.
Frederick also would like to discuss the grant process at Mid-Prairie for accessing grants as it would be great to be educated on the District’s process.
The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, September 26, 2022, at 6:15 p.m. at the Central Office Community Room. Agenda items to include: 2022 Treasurer’s Report, Special Education Deficit Resolution, and Discussion of the Audit RFP.
Work Session
Hawk Highlights
Building Tour of MP Middle School
The Board toured the Middle School building led by Rob Hruby, Principal, and Gary Dawson, Lead Custodian, to see the changes made over the Summer.
Building Tour of MP East Elementary
The Board toured the Middle School building led by Greg Jergens, Principal, and Mike TeBockhorst, Lead Custodian, to see the changes made over the Summer.
Building Tour of MP Home School Education Center
The Board toured the Home School Education Center building led by Rachel Kerns, Home School Director, and Mark Kleese, Lead Custodian, to see the changes made over the Summer.
Board Highlight
The Board noted highlights from this evening’s meeting. They are: Tours of the buildings with the changes and updates from staff; Conversations in the Business Meeting are appreciated; Kudos to Rob Hruby and Middle School Team for the new parking lot configuration
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 8:46 p.m.